Kimchi Style Quick Pickles

I've always hated cabbage, and therefore had been routinely avoiding kimchi... before discovering that such a thing as cucumber kimchi exists. I love cucumbers. This is what happens when a white person is craving cucumber kimchi an hour's drive from the nearest place that sells it... it's more of a quick pickle, fairly mild, and an excellent way to dress cucumbers.

Required Ingredients

• 1 English cucumber OR one fairly large garden cucumber OR two medium sized grocery store cucumbers
• 1 sweet onion
• 1.5 cups white vinegar
• 1.5 cups warm water
• 2 tablespoons gochujang paste (from amazon or the local asian mart)
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon popcorn or pickling salt (very finely ground)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Optional Ingredients

• black sesame seed
• sugar, no more than 1/4 cup
• chili powder, for extra heat

Process

1. If using sugar, microwave it with the water until it dissolves. If not using sugar, warm tap water will work fine.


2. Peel strips off the edge of the cucumber so it makes the fun stripeys, and slice thinly into chips (the thinner they are, the faster the flavor soaks in)


3. Peel and cut the onion into nice-sized stir fry style strips (big enough to pick up and eat)


4. Dump absolutely everything in a large jar, tupperware, or tightly lidded bowl, including the sesame and chili if you're using them.


5. Shake thoroughly until all the powders and pastes have dissolved in the juice. Make sure all of the vegetables are at minimum touching the liquid, if not submerged; add more water and vinegar as needed.


6. Let sit at minimum an hour, or overnight. Serve cold or room temp, keep for up to a week (they do get stronger the longer they sit - consider draining the liquid after a day or three)